Lake Baikal is a year–round beauty | iLike

Lake Baikal is a year–round beauty

If you have never been to Lake Baikal, then you probably dream of visiting it. Really? I was not. I am, so far, among the dreamers. Moreover, I want to go there at least once in each of the seasons. Why? Baikal is beautiful all year round, that's why you want to see with your own eyes how different it is. 

Lake Baikal. Photo from the website httpsbolshayastrana.com

 Lake Baikal is the oldest water area in the mountains of Siberia. It ranks first in the world in terms of water volume among freshwater lakes.

Spring. photo from the rfzima website

Its bowl holds a fifth of the world's total freshwater reserve. It is also considered the deepest lake in the world. Its scale and the surrounding nature with its unique fauna are what irresistibly attracts tourists to Lake Baikal.

Summer. photo from the rfzima website

By far, the most spectacular attraction of Lake Baikal is its ice. It is in late autumn, winter and early spring that tourists bring the most beautiful pictures from these places.

Ice on Lake Baikal. photos from the website bolshayastrana.com

By the way, when going to Lake Baikal for ice photos, tourists should know that in the middle of winter, the lake valley is often covered with fog, so February is considered the most ideal month for fans of Baikal ice. At this time, the thickness of the ice reaches its maximum of 1-2 meters and the lake bottom is visible through its crystal clear surface. 

Blue ice. photo from rfzima website

This creates the illusion of thin glass, and it seems that stepping on it will fall into deep transparency. But this is an illusion. It is the transparent blue ice that is considered the most reliable, you can move along it not only on foot and on skates, but also by car, even helicopters can land on the durable Baikal ice. 

The ice of Lake Baikal. photo from the rfzima website

The coastal cliffs also look impressive when the icy wind blows drops of lake water on them.  The spray freezes instantly and gradually cliffs, multi-meter ice caves grow out of them, making an indelible impression on tourists with their unique beauty. 

An ice cave. photo from the rfzima website

The ice caves of Lake Baikal. photos from the website bolshayastrana.com

For all the icy incomparability of Lake Baikal, nevertheless, in the warmer months there are much more opportunities to look at the lake attractions and explore all its corners. The picturesque reservoir is surrounded by a network of paths called a large hiking trail. It is best to go to the forest by long routes in the middle of summer, when the soil has dried out as much as possible. 

Summer. photo from rfzima website

Summer. photo from rfzima website

In summer, it is easy to drive through coastal settlements by car, and passenger ships regularly ply the reservoir during this period. For lovers of autumn beauties, it is best to plan a trip to Lake Baikal for the end of August and September, during this period, the season of the brightest and most unique autumn landscapes on the lake. 

Autumn. photo from the rfzima website

Near the Coast of Lake Baikal there are two large Russian cities: Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude. Siberians often travel to Lake Baikal by private vehicle. But it is more convenient for residents of central Russia to get to the lake by air or rail.
First of all, I want to visit Lake Baikal, of course, in winter, in order to bring back pictures of the frozen aquatic beauties of Lake Baikal (remember, of course, that I am a Siberian and I really love everything beautiful, icy).

The ice of Lake Baikal. photo from the rfzima website

And what time of the year do you dream of visiting Lake Baikal?